


How to Train your Zora (and other monsters)

by Rebbykins



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-01
Updated: 2017-05-27
Packaged: 2018-10-19 06:35:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10634292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rebbykins/pseuds/Rebbykins
Summary: The Island of Hyrule is plagued by monsters from every corner; the ground, the sea, and the sky. Children are trained to be warriors to fight against the monsters. Link, the adopted son of the Chief, feels that he must prove himself able to kill the monsters just like his peers. But what happens when he comes face to face with an injured Zora?





	1. The Storm

**Author's Note:**

> Hello Hello! This is my little brain child from one day in April: How to Train your Dragon style Zelda story!  
> I'm going to be pulling characters out from Skyward Sword but mostly using the Breath of the Wild setting for this story. (also, oops, Sidon doesn't even show up in this chapter.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Hello! This is my little brain child from one day in April: How to Train your Dragon style Zelda story!  
> I'm going to be pulling characters out from Skyward Sword but mostly using the Breath of the Wild setting for this story. (also, oops, Sidon doesn't even show up in this chapter.)

* * *

 

A lone boy clings to a chunk of floating wood, calling out for his parents, for anyone. “Mommy! Daddy!” He is at sea and around him floats chunks of wood, clearly a ship had once been here. He calls out again but now notices a fin breach the surface of the water. It is bright red. The youth's eyes widen and he starts to panic, kicking at the water to get away. He feels something grab his leg and he is pulled under the cold dark water.

Glowing yellow eyes meet his under the water and a hand reaches for his throat--

\---

Bright blue eyes woke with a start as Link lay panting in bed, sweating. He looked around his room wildly a moment, then made to sit up.

_BANG!_

He fell back on his pillow, holding the top of his head and looking up to the low hanging beams running across the top bunk. There used to be so much space when he was younger, now he couldn’t even sit up on the bottom bunk.

“Hey, are you alright?” A voice asked from the bed above him. A head popped down and a pair of green eyes peeked just over the top edge of the bed. Long blond hair tumbled down past her head. “Oh my, you’re going to have a big bump on your forehead, Link,” the girl said as she climbed down. Link huffed loudly at her and rolled over so his back was to her. “Hey, Link,” Zelda frowned at him and reached out to rest her hand along his back. She felt his body tense up under his palm and withdrew it. “You’re safe with us. You’ll never have to suffer again,” she reminded him and started to get changed.

Link lay where he was until he heard Zelda finish shuffling her clothes, getting her things, and the door close. Only after he was sure she was now speaking with her father did he roll out of bed. Instead of getting dressed and ready for school, Link climbed up onto her bunk and flopped down face first into her pillow. He took a deep breath through his nose, taking in everything that Zelda smelled like. _Ahh..._ Her scent always made Link feel better. Zelda had been the first person he had seen once he woke up, after washing up on the shore of Hyrule Island. Link heard the pitter-patter of rain falling on the roof and mentally groaned. It was still raining? Really? It had been raining for a week and places were starting to flood. Link sighed and closed his eyes, planning to lay for a moment longer before he got up.

A loud bang of thunder woke Link from his dreams, this time of sunny sandy beaches that he couldn’t quite recall. His eyes opened and he looked around. The house was quite, save for the rain on the roof. No Zelda chatting with her father, no Chief Rhoam chuckling loudly, no one reminding Link to get up. Silence...which meant--   
“Shit!” Link cried out, diving down from Zelda’s bed and rolling on the ground. He was late for school, that’s what the silence meant! He hurriedly put a clean pair of pants on, a possibly clean shirt from off the floor (it _smelled_ clean at least), and then ran out the door.

Only to return a moment later to get his boots, mumbling about wet feet and slippery rocks.

\---

The rain was coming down in buckets as he ran through town to get to the training grounds and school. Splashing through shallow puddles of water and dodging deeper ones, Link felt lucky that the rain caused many people to stay indoors for the day.

Finally, running the whole way and he was at the arena building at last! His chest was on fire as he walked down the narrow halls surrounding the arena and towards one of the classrooms. Their teacher had decided it was unsafe to train in the arena when water had started to pool in it. He didn’t want anyone to fall and get caught by a monster after all.

Link came to the classroom and tried to slip in as quietly as possible, though his pants _swish-swish-swish_  wetly with his every moment. The blond took a seat between Zelda and Fledge, an okay guy, still dripping wet. He shot his adopted sister a glare and mouthed _why didn’t you wake me?_ to which Zelda shrugged.

“Link,” the voice of the teacher caught the boy off guard and he sat up straight, looking ahead, “how nice of you to join us,” he said as he turned around. Ganon looked like no other Hylian on this side of Hyrule Island--because he wasn’t one. He was a Gerudo, a dark skinned man with bright red hair, and claimed to come from the other side of the island, past Goron Mountain. No Hylian had ever seen where Ganon hailed from, between the Zora in the sea ready to destroy boats and the Goron throwing rocks down from their nests, it was just too dangerous for anyone to travel. Seated at the table in front of Link, Groose, Cawlin, and Strich, the three other students, all snickered at Ganon calling Link out. “I hope you have brought your voice today, we’re doing locations,” the adult was saying as he pulled a rolled up map that hung from the ceiling down. The color drained from Link’s face. No, no, noooo, he hated this. 

[[map placeholder]]

Groose leaned back against Link’s table, almost poking his eye out with his styled hair. “Mr. Ganon, no offence but don’t you think we know this stuff already? I mean, all of us can recite our world map and the monsters by heart now...except Linky. Maybe you should make him do the whole thing,” he suggested, a large smirk on his face as he looked at Link from the corner of his eye. His smirk grew as he caught the horrified look on the blond’s face.

“As much as that would be a reasonable punishment, I highly doubt everyone has mastered our world map. However,” he walked over to the table in front of Groose and slapped his ruler down on the desk. Groose sat up quickly, looking up at him with his full attention. “Why don’t you start?” He questioned, walking back over to the map. “Please list the kinds of monsters that can be found on Hyrule Island.”

Groose puffed up his chest and gave his answer. “Gorons, which live on the mountain. They have large mouths which they use to crush human skulls with. In order of danger; Miniblin, Bokoblin, and Moblin can be found in the grasslands of the island. They are also the most likely to be seen near town,” he explained with ease.

“Very good,” Ganon nodded, then pointed to a different part of the map and demanded Cawlin and Strich recite information about the monsters and landscape of that area. He moved to another part of the map and Zelda’s hand shot up before he said anything. “And now we move onto Sheikah Island--”

“Oh, oh!” Zelda’s hand twitched as she waited to be called on.

Ganon noticed this and shook his head a little. “Fledge,” he said addressing the boy beside Link, “what race of monsters lives on Sheikah island?”

Zelda’s hand fell down and she pouted a little. “Uhh,” Fledge chewed on his lip, looking down to his empty desk a moment as if he was looking at invisible notes. Under his breath he seemed to be muttering to himself, saying how Zora lived in the sea so... “R-Rito, sir,” he said in a soft voice.

“What was that?” Cawlin asked, cupping a hand over his ear, “I couldn’t hear you. What’s wrong, you caught Link’s frog?” The three boys in front laughed at this.  
Ganon cleared his throat loudly to get the teens’ attention again. “Correct. What is dangerous about Rito?”

“Uhh,” he glanced between Ganon, Link, and Zelda a moment as if they were going to give him the answer. When no answer came, he sighed and thought harder a moment. “th-their be-beaks. They c-can break b-bones with one bite be-because of how sh-sharp they are.”

“Yes, correct. You know your stuff, Fledge,” he complemented, “now then..Zelda. What is the most common pest in Kakariko Village?”

She seemed disappointed by this question, but was ready to answer none the less. “Lizalfo on the ground and Keese in the air.” Ganon made to open his mouth and say something, but she continued on, “but did you know that the Sheikah are developing turrets that will shoot Keese down and they will be unmanned too!”

“Very good, Zelda. Now--”

“With the kind of technology the Sheikah are developing it, we might be able to wipe monsters off the islands for good.” She kept talking. Link noticed what she was doing and had to remember to thank her later. It was almost the end of class and if the town bell rang then Link wouldn’t have to answer a question!

“Now I wouldn’t say that--”

“And--”

“Zelda! Enough. You have given your answer and your turn is over. Link, please tell us about Zora,” he quested.

Link swore he was smirking as he said that. Dread filled Link; not only did he hate speaking in class, but he hated talking about _Zora_. He couldn’t quite explain why he didn’t like them, though others theorized that his fear of Zora came from the shipwreck and the likelihood that he had been bitten by one-the half circle ring of puncture marks on his leg still hurt every now and then. He leaned over to Zelda and whispered in her ear. “Link says that Zora live in the sea and attack boats, ripping them to shreds.”

Ganon sighed. “Zelda, as helpful as you think you are, I’d like to hear Link’s voice for once. What is dangerous about Zora, Link?”

Zelda and Link locked eyes and she shrugged, unsure how to help him now. Link glanced over to Fledge, leaning close to his ear. “Teeth,” he whispered. Fledge, who had not been paying attention, jumped and fell out of his seat. This sent the three in the front howling with laughter. Link gave the other teen an apologetic look and offered a hand to help him up. He hadn’t meant to scare him, just get around the teacher’s bard against having Zelda speak for him. Just as Fledge was getting to his seat, the town bell rang loudly.

Ganon was unable to regain the students’ attention any longer as they as they gathered up their things and started to noisily leave the room. “I except to see you in two days children!” He called after them, “and Link, please stay after,” he said just as the blond was in the doorway.

Link almost left, ready to pretend he didn’t hear the man, but Zelda put a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll wait outside. He’s not that scary,” she whispered and left.

Link sighed and walked back into the classroom. “Please clean the board, Link,” Ganon instructed after rolling up the map. The blond huffed to himself and started to erase the chalk from earlier in the lesson. Oh, it was about the trip to Goron Mountain. Ganon took the best kids in class up to the mountain every few years, in hopes to make a safe path to Gerudo. It never ended well for the students and sometimes one would not make it back. “I do hope you plan to start showing your worth, Link,” Ganon was saying as he put papers together, “Chief Rhoam took you in because he saw ‘great things’ from you, yet you have not shown any. I expect you to begin working hard in training and stop relying on others so much,” he added and left the room.

Link could feel his face red with embarrassment from this whole event. He knew Chief Rhoam thought he would do something amazing for the town, but he didn’t show any skill in monster killing. Didn't Ganon know that that Link already knew that, that he already felt bad about it? “Link?” He must have been zoning out there for a while because Zelda’s voice from the doorway caused him to jump. She giggled when he screamed a little and held his chest. “Sorry. Is everything okay?” Link nodded. Zelda smiled and took his hand. “Alright! Lets go get dinner then!” She cheerfully said.

\---

The whole town would gather for dinner in the meeting hall. Which meant there was a chance to run into anyone at dinner. Link tended to stick close to Zelda and her father, in case anyone thought about giving him trouble. However, tonight Rhoam had other business so it was just him and Zelda. They ate in silence, he noticed, which was unlike the girl. Link watched her for a little bit, noticing how she simply picked at her food but didn’t eat. He leaned against her arm, making sure he was facing her ear, and whispered, “Zelda what’s wrong?” Then Link grabbed a chunk of goat meat from her plate and plopped it down on his own.

“H-Hey!” That seemed to snap her out of her thoughts and she reached to take it back. Link pulled his plate out of her reach and waved a finger at her, as if to say _not until you tell me_. Zelda sighed and stopped reaching for the plate. “I’m just thinking about the weather. Impa and the Sheikah should have been here by this time,” she admitted.

Link shook his head and brought his plate back beside Zelda’s, returning her food. “Is that all? They probably didn’t set sail yet,” he whispered to her, “I’m sure Impa is fine,” he added.

Impa was as close to a mother as Zelda had. The Sheikah women had been best friends with Zelda’s mother and when her mother passed, it was Impa who stepped in and acted as a motherly figure for the young girl. She lived on Hyrule Island for Zelda’s early years, but as she grew older, Impa started making trips back and forth between Sheikah Island and Hyrule. Link never felt like Impa liked him very much, so he tended to stay clear of her when she did visit.

"Yeah, you're right. The Great Sheikah won't fall to a little rain," Zelda agreed, sounding like she was saying that more to comfort herself.

Link smiled wearily at Zelda a moment and she smiled back. However, his lips fell as Groose, Cawlin, Strich and Fledge all took seats around them. Cawlin sat beside Link, with Strich, Groose, and Fledge in that order across the table from him. "Hey there, guys," Groose said as if he always sat with them.

"Good evening, Groose," Zelda replied coldly, not bothering to make eye contact with him.

"What did Mr. Ganon want to talk to you about?" Strich asked, leaning forward on the table (his shirt getting caught in his food) as if he was trying to hear Link better over the sound of the loud hall. 

Link rolled his eyes and leaned over to Zelda, whispering in her ear. He noticed that Cawlin stood up at the same time but paid no mind him. A small smile came to Zelda's lips and she seemed to be holding back a giggle. "Link says none of your bees wax."

Strich sat back, looking annoyed. Fledge leaned forward across the table now, fidgeting with nervousness. "You know, I'm a little disappointed we didn't get to go over Zora in class. Link, will you tell us about them now?" He asked.

Link smiled slightly. Out of all of the other kids near his age, Fledge was the most friendly and someone Link would likely turn to he needed something. However, he was also one of the smartest kids in monster hunting class. Surely he knew ALL about Zora, why would he want to hear Link's answer? Something smelled fishy and it wasn't just this topic. Link caught Groose's eyes flicker up and a smirk on his face right before he felt cold water dumped on him. It wasn't only water either, it had been a bucket filled with dead fish! Zelda have a scream as she was slashed, and Link cried out as well. After that Link was silent, even as a fish head slid down his face and landed on his lap with a loud SPLAT! Fledge looked shocked but this, but Groose and Strich both looked excited.  

"Well," the red head urged, "say something. Yell at us!" Link was mad, but he wasn't going to blow his top at the others. He simply stood up and walked away to the door. He could hear Zelda unleashing her rage on the four boys now, demanding to know why they did that.

As Link hurried out, he passed two slightly older teens, Karane and Pipit, who had been rubbing noses. Karane looked up and called out, "Link! Are you alright?" the two started to get up, but he ignored them and dashed to the door. He didn't go home-this was too humiliating to face Chief Rhoam-so he just ran blindly.

\---

Link didn't know how long he ran for, but he did know it was dark and he was in the wilds of the island now. Streams of water from overflowing brooks flowed under his feet, threatening to sweep him away with one wrong step. Link dodged them the best could, but a tree root caught his foot and he fell into one of the fast moving currents. It carried him a little way before dropping off as a waterfall into a crater in the ground. It was a man-made mining quarry, abandoned and reclaimed by the land. With the heavy rains causing nearby water ways to flood, it looked like the liquid started to fill up the hole. Link fought against the rapids, doing his best to keep his head afloat. Even as someone who feared the creatures of the sea, Link was a strong swimmer. He was able to make it to an edge, one that he hoped was high ground as he pulled himself in. It turned out to be a shallow dug cave, probably from an older generation as they mined for useful ore. Exhausted from the swim and his anger, Link leaned against a wall, hoping the flood water would not engulf the cave as he found the darkness of sleep over come his mind.

The very last thing Link could recall was an animalistic scream, one that was way too close for comfort. 


	2. The Beast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link comes face to face with an injured Zora and has to make a tough choice. Then a pretty stupid one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! couple of things  
> ...Link talks a lot in this chapter, I know. Give it a chance, there's a good reason for it~
> 
> Also, I'm sorry I didn't have this done sooner. I've been slowly writing it while at work by hand and then typing it. Sometimes I type it on my phone, so if you spot any grammar errors, please let me know!
> 
> This was a bit of a hump chapter for me, the next part is something I'm super excited for!

* * *

 

Morning came in the way of warm sunlight hitting Link's face. He blinked a moment, trying to roll over and away from the brightness.

 _Wait, sunlight?_ He thought and opened his eyes sleepily. This was not his room.

It was a small hand carved cave, just big enough for Link to sit in. There were no signs that it had been used recently, but there was an old pickaxe head still inside. After a moment, the events of the night before came back to Link and he crawled to the mouth of the cave. It had stopped raining, the water level in the pit had gone down enough that it looked only like an ankle deep muddy pool on the ground. In addition, Link realized he wasn't alone. There was a swarm of Miniblin on the other side of the pit.

Of all the Blin found on Hyrule Island, Miniblin were probably the most annoying. They traveled in packs, which by their numbers was more of a swarm, they could climb walls with easy, and worst of all: they had a rather headache insisting cry. "Dah nah nah!" Each one called in disorder, creating a loud chorus. Link saw that they were gathered around a large mass, maybe a dead Moblin? Right then, Link didn't care to find out. They were preoccupied with that and didn't notice him, which gave the teen time to get away before they did.

Just as he began to climb up the plant converted rock wall, a mighty roar came from below him. The dead Moblin was one: not dead, and two: not a Moblin. It was a large red scaled Zora. Link's heart jumped into his throat with fear as the beast started swatting off the Miniblin with one arm. He had to get out of here! With a new sense of urgency, he resumed his climb more haphazardly now. One of the rocks he reached for was not as secure as he had thought and gave out as he tried to pull himself up, causing Link to lose his grip and fall into the pit.

At the same time the Zora roared again and fell over. The Miniblin swarm saw an opening and started attacking it again. Link watched them and gulped. He had two choices; run away and let the Miniblin kill the Zora, or do it himself. He would be called a hero if he killed a Zora and brought back proof. No one would bother him about not wanting to talk every again! Although he had the thought, it didn't excite him much. In fact, the thought of the Zora dying by either hand sent his stomach into knots for some reason.

By now, a couple of the Miniblin had noticed Link and rushed towards him. Well, it seemed fighting was inevitable now. Looking around himself, Link quickly searched for something he could use as a weapon. All he could find was a soggy looking stick. It would have to do! Clutching the stick so tightly his knuckles turned white, Link gave a battle cry and swung it at the nearest Miniblin.

He lashed the small monster until it stayed down. "Get away!" Link yelled as he ran at the swarm surrounding the Zora. Some turned to Link and thrust their little pitchforks at him. It hurt and he could feel his clothes start to tear, but he continued to swing the branch at them harder.

"Go away! Shoo!" Link cried, feeling that the branch was threatening to break now. And then it did, snapping in half, the monsters saw this and ganged up on him. Just as the Miniblin were starting to overwhelm Link, the Zora rose up again with a roar. It grabbed the nearest Miniblin and bit down into the other monster with its sharp teeth. The Miniblin screamed an unearthly sound until it didn't make anymore sounds. All other Miniblin froze, looking nervously as the Zora dropped their....packmate? That was the only word Link could think of to describe the relationship between them, to call them a family made killing them too gruesome.

The Zora hissed at the Miniblin, which set off a chain reaction of the swarm running and scrambling to get away. The Zora turned its piercing yellow eyes to Link and bared its fangs. "Woah," he said, holding his hands out flat to try and show he meant no harm. It worked with dogs and horses. The monster made to get up and seemed to want to lunge at Link. He flinched, covering his face with his arms. This was it, this was where and how he died. However nothing happened.

Link lowered his arms and found that the Zora's left arm was pinned under a rock. For a moment Link watched the creature struggle, then he turned around and jogged back to the cliff wall. He had no death wish today.

So Link climbed up the wall. Just as he was passing the cave he had slept in, the Zora have a pitiful, frustrated sounding, cry. Link felt sad hearing this and stopped to sit in the cave and watch the creature. To his surprise, the Zora was looking back at him with a pout on its face. "Well now I feel like a jerk," he muttered. He could go and try to help the monster, but how? If it couldn't lift the bolder pinning it, what could a scrawny Hylian do? Looking around the cave, Link finally noted the pickax head. Maybe he could use that for leverage? That is if the Zora didn't try to bite his hand off.

Link grabbed the pickax and once more climbed back down to the pit. The Zora continued to watch Link's every movement. He carefully walked towards the monster, keeping a slow pace. "Easy now, I am going to help you," he told the creature in as calm of a voice he could muster, "don't freak out, please," he begged the monster. Much to his surprise, the Zora didn't make a move while Link inched closer to it, all it did was watch him with its pricing yellow eyes.

Finally next to the boulder--behind it technically, so he could use it as a barrier should the Zora decide to attack him once free--Link wedged the pickax head under the rock. At first he tried just pushing with his hands down on the free end, but the rock refused to budge. Link took a different approach and stood up on the ax head, bouncing on it a bit and wiggled the rock.

"Okay, so I can't do this alone and it can't do this alone," Link muttered to himself. It was so easy to talk when no one was around to listen to him. "Hey! Zora!" He called out to the beast, noticing that it was no longer staring at him but instead looking up at the sky. "Phst, talking to it like it understand you...how stupid Link," he shook his head and started bouncing on the ax again.

The tail that came off of the Zora's head stood straight up as if someone had shocked it and its attention snapped back to Link. It set its eyes on him, mouth gaping open slightly. Link noticed the sudden attentiveness (and felt a shiver run down his back seeing its sharp teeth) and wondered if it did understand. No, that's silly. He shook his head again but figured it was worth a try.

"Okay Zora!" He announced loudly, "I'm going to rock the bolder and you try to slide your hand free, okay?" The Zora...did it really just nod its head? Nope, Link was just anthropomorphising a monster. No way the Zora understood him. But now there was a plan at least...right?

Link pushed down with all of his weight on the pickax and yelled at the beast to try to get its hand free. The Zora roared a pained cry as it tried to get its hand out. Bit by bit, slowly the Zora's arm was freed from under the rock. "Frkkk!" The monster suddenly cried and rolled away from Link. A sudden jerk from the rock caused Link's footing on the ax to slip and he felt a sharp pain in his lower leg.

Link smiled some, not noticing the pain suddenly in his leg from the adrenaline of all of this, and wiped sweat from his brow. It felt good helping out someone else, even if it was a Zora. However it was now time to get out of here before the monster decided to eat him. Link jogged to the nearest wall and started climbing. The Zora didn't seem to be chasing him, how odd. Still, Link didn't look back until he was out of the pit. What he saw made his gut clench; the red scaled Zora was clutching its arm to its chest, It looked like something had happened to its hand and it was bleeding! How did that happen? Link couldn't see well enough to tell where the crimson liquid running down the Zora's white underbelly was coming from-nor should he care, right? The beast would climb up the wall on its own age go back to the sea. "Hey! You're free!" Link found himself calling out, waving his arms in the air, "climb up and go home!" The monster made a low rumble sound and simply looked up at him with hurt eyes. Could Zora not climb? He could ask Fledge later maybe.

After mulling it over for a moment, Link sighed and called out to Zora, "I... I'll come back tomorrow. Don't get caught." Finally he turned away and make his way through the muddy forest and back home.

\---

As he walked, dodging puddles of water with unknown depths, his mind wandered to Fledge's knowledge on Zora and that led him to think about everyone else. Why wasn't there a search party out looking for him? Judging by the sun in the sky, it was mid morning, that gave plenty if time for people, at least Zelda and Rhoam to notice he was no where to be seen.

Maybe there was no search party because no one missed him or cared that he was gone. As the thought passed through Link's mind his pace slowed. Who would miss an anxious teen anyway? Too nervous to even talk in public or around six kids he had known most of his life? The path had turned into a hill that slowed his speed even more. The forest was void of any other human voice, not even Zelda was looking for Link. What if she was relieved to not have to be Link's voice anymore? What if everyone was happy he was gone?

As he got to the top of the hill, a break in the trees allowed Link to catch a glimpse of the town. He saw a lot of smoke coming up from it. _Crap!_ Panic rose in his chest, even though it was normal for there to be smoke coming from houses. What if the reason there was search party was because there had been an attack on Hyrule Town? That could explain the Zora, it must have gotten separated from its pack during the attack! Link took off running down the hill, slashing in muddy puddles along the way, with one thought in his head, get home.

After just breaking free of the trees that were marked as the start of the forest, the out of breath teen caught sight if Rhoam, Zelda, Impa, Ganon, and a few other adults-both Shikah and Hylian. He doubled over, trying to catch his breath when he heard a cry. "Look! Link!" It was Zelda's voice. He looked up only to be tackled to the ground by the weight of Zelda slamming into him.

She hugged him tightly, even after others from the search party gathered around. "Zelda, let the boy breath," Rhoam reminded her as Impa helped her up. The chief's strong hand was offered to Link and he took it, bring pulled to feet. "You gave us quite the scare, m'boy," he said while wrapping his arm around him in a sideways hug.

Link giggled nervously, mouthing the word sorry to his adoptive father. He could see Ganon dismissing the others from the search party behind Rhoam.

"Well, I'm glade to see that you are alright, Link. You had Zelda and Rhoam very worried," Impa said while dusting dirt off of Zelda's shirt. She was a Shikah women, well into her 60's but looked no older than 40. Impa was built strong, with short cut white hair and red eyes. She sort of intimidated Link, but Zelda adored her and he guessed Impa must care somewhat about him too. She had been the one who tend to his injuries after he washed up on shore. "Judging by your clothes... And that wound, you didn't sleep anywhere comfortable last night," she added, motioning to links leg.

He looked down and noticed the tear in his pants leg and dried blood near it. At first he wasn't sure when that happened, then he recalled slipping off the ax head while freeing the Zora.

Zelda looked concerned. "Link! How did that happen?!"

He looked between the three people around him. They were safe, they were family. He could talk around then. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Link spoke in a soft tone, "Miniblin swarm," was all he was able to croak out. When there was no response from them, he clarified himself, "I fought them."

"You fought a Miniblin swarm?" The deep voice if Ganon said from behind Rhoam, making Link jump. He hadn't noticed that Ganon had stayed there. "Well color me impressed," the tall man went on to say, "you were able to defeat them all on your own?"

Link nodded his head, but kept his lips buttoned. Ganon was one person he could not talk around. He opened his mouth to say something else, but Rhoam held up a hand to stop him. "Enough for now, my friend. Link has had a rough night and morning. He needs rest and food now," the chief announced, then swept Link up into his arms-carrying princess style.

The blond yelped as he was lifted and blushed. If any of the kids saw him like this he wouldn't hear the end of it. He leaned close to the man's ear and whispered, "Dad, embarrassing."

Rhoam had only taken a few steps before he stopped and set Link back down. "Sorry there lad, old habits are hard to break," he chuckled and gave Link a firm pat on the back.

Link smiled up at him, understanding what he meant, Rhoam used to carry Link and Zelda around when they were little-especially when they were hurt.

As the group headed back to town, Link felt Zelda slip her hand into his, giving it a squeeze.

\---

"Miniblin did this?" Impa whistled as she examined his leg. Link nodded, feeling awful about lying to her, to Rhoam, to Zelda.

It turned out that the search party had been gathered in the morning, but just as they set out Sheikah ships arrived in port and had to be attended to. Link wasn't mad, he understood that they were planning to look for him at least.

"This is pretty big for a Miniblin trident," Impa mused. Link shrugged and watched her bandage the cut. It was on the same leg as his scar, a semicircle of teeth marks. The adults theorized a Zora had tried to eat him before he was pulled into a current that brought him ashore.

"Can you believe Groose?" Zelda was ranting about the other boys, "he wanted to get you mad so you would yell at them and speak. I am do livid at them! And to think Fledge was in on it too! It makes me sick!" She paced the room, throwing get arms into the air every now and then.

"Calm down, Zelda," Impa cooed, "those boys just don't understand Link like you do." Hearing this, he smiled. "However," she went on, looking to her patient, "Link, it would be useful for you to try to speak up so that this Groose boy and his friends stop bothering you."

Link huffed and looked away. Maybe she was right.

The rest of the day was spent inside with the four of them, anyone else was turned away after being told that Link was fine. It was a nice way to spend a day.

\---

The next day, Link woke early and despite his body aching with pain, he pushed himself out of bed. He had promised the Zora he would come back...it sounded silly-and it was, wasn't it? He looked up at Zelda as he changed his clothes. Link wanted so badly to tell her about the Zora, to ask for her advice, but she might tell her father and everyone would kill it or or bring it back for use as a training monster for the kids. That was a slow starved death for the monsters, constantly teased with the idea of a yummy human meal or whatever they did to humans. He shook his head and headed to the living room.

Annnnd Imp was awake. "Good morning, Link," the women said as she stretched in what was likely a daily morning routine. She was all about keeping herself healthy. Sheikah were well known for medical advances and long lives. "Having trouble sleeping?" She asked.

Link nodded, rubbing his leg. "Sore," he muttered.

"That happens when you fight," Impa chuckled lightly, "would you like a pain killer?" 

Link almost shook his head. She was suggesting a medicine concoction that the Sheikah had created which would dull one's pain. He didn't enjoy the weightlessness it gave to his body. However, Link realized it could help the Zora. "Please?" He asked, holding out his hands. As Impa turned and opened up one of her bags, an idea came to Link. "Bandages?" He asked, motioning to his leg.

She glanced up, studying Link a moment. Sometimes it was hard for him to get his point across without many words, but his family seemed to understand what he meant most of the time. "Oh, good idea!" She smiled, "do you know how to wrap them?"

Link shook his head. He had seen her tend to his and Zelda's injuries many times, but he had never really paid attention to what she was doing. Impa chuckled and used his arm to show Link how to wrap bandages, telling him to keep pressure on his leg should it start to bleed again. The teen nodded along as she taught this, paying close attention her hands as they worked. Hopefully he would be able to get near the Zora and help it.

Once Impa was done, Link thanked her and said he was going on a walk. Just as he was leaving, Impa reminded him he should eat something so the medicine would work better. He grabbed an apple from the table and headed out.

\---

The sun was just coming up as Link closed the door behind him. Good, no one would see him-Fledge was walking down the road, heading for the house. Upon seeing Link, he waved and called out to him. "Link! Oh my gosh! I'm so happy you're alright!" He jogged the distance between them and pulled Link into a hug. The shorter teen felt his feet dangle as he was lifted off the ground, Fledge was taller than him even if he was a year or so younger. Link eked out a sound, trying to say "pain," which thankfully Fledge understood and let him go.

"I'm sorry," he said after he set Link down, "I wanted to a-apologize about the other night. I...I didn't want to have you get hurt. I really did just want to hear about Zora."

Link could tell Fledge was being sincere, but he did not want to have this conversation right now. "Fine. Busy," he muttered, patting the other's shoulder and started to walk past him.

Much to his disappointment, Fledge followed along like some kind of lost puppy. "I heard you took down a swarm of Miniblin! H-How did you do it?"

Word traveled fast in town, or Ganon told everyone. Link wanted badly to blow Fledge off, but that would be rude and he had come to apologize. Had this been any other time, Link would have recounted his tale in front of Fledge, with Zelda to narrate. He looked around a moment, then picked up a thin twig from the ground, slashing back and forth a moment before looking at Fledge with a grin.

"A stick? Wow!" He clapped his hands, "you're amazing, Link!" Link blushed and rubbed the back of his head at the complement. "So, uh, what are you up to so early?"

Link's hands fell to his side and he stared at Fledge, as if to ask him the same. In the end, he muttered, "walk. Restless." After a of moment of walking instep with the younger boy, he spoke again, " _alone._ "

"Oh!" Fledge looked a bit flustered by Link's request. "Uhh, see you at class then?"

Link nodded and watched him leave. Making sure there was no one to see him, Link turned and jogged towards the woods.

\---

It probably took Link an hour to get back to the pit, he made a mental note to account for that when he had to go back to town. The Zora was still in the pit, sleeping in a pool of clear water. It looked like there was normally always a shallow pool of water in the old tunnel, maybe that was why it was abandoned. Link noticed that the Zora's red scales sparkled as the sun rays danced across its back through the leaves of the trees above. It would have been rather pretty had the subject not been a monster.

Link grabbed a few stones from near by and started throwing them at the water. He wanted to wake up the Zora before he climbed down, in case it lashed out at him for waking it. He threw one rock a little harder and it hit the monster. It jolted awake and looked around with a growl on its lips. "'Hoy!" Link wanted his arm to get its attention.

The Zora turned quickly, still growling a moment, then calmed at seeing the Hylian. At least it didn't rush the side of the pit to attack him!

Link climbed down into the pit, holding the apple in his mouth as he did so. He decided he would get some rope to make this climb easier in the future.

Once on the ground, Link turned to see the Zora watching him from the puddle of water. It looked like the fish tail that grew on the back of its head was wagging like a dog's. Maybe it was happy to see him? Who knows. "Okay...easy..." Link walked slowly to the monster with the apple in one hand, "I told you I would come back. Can I see your arm?"

The Zora titled its head and made a 'raw?' sound. After a moment of nothing, Link sighed. So it didn't understand him? It was stupid of him to think it could!

He glanced at the apple in his hand, then fished the pain killer out from his pocket. It was nothing more than a chew-able chalk-like chunk of medicine, he didn't know how the Sheikah made it. Link sank his teeth into the apple enough to bite off a chunk, then pushed the painkiller into the flesh of the apple. Hopefully Zora ate fruits too.

Link held it out to the Zora, "you hungry?" This time, Link was sure the tail on its head was swaying back and forth. The Zora sat up, keeping its left arm close to its chest, and grabbed the fruit out if Link's hands. For a moment, Link felt the Zora's damp hand brush against his. It felt smooth. The Zora ate the apple in one bite, core and all.

Now all he had to do was wait. Link stretched his body a bit and walked around the pit some, exploring what was growing down here. He ended up collecting a few tree branches, something could use in case more Miniblin showed up.  

Link turned back to check on the Zora and found that it had slumped over on its side and appeared to be drooling. As he ventured closer, he noticed its pupils had grown wide as well. _The medicine must work different on Zora._ he thought while waving a hand in front of its eyes. He saw no recognition of the movement. With a shaky hand, Link reached out touch the shoulder of its injured arm. He only tapped it, quickly pulling his hand back in case the Zora lashed out at him. But it didn't move. Link let out a breath he didn't know he was held and carefully moved its arm away from its chest. He studied the extent of the damage. He had seen the bleeding before, but now seeing what had happened close made him sick. Two of the.. digits on its....paw (calling it a hand sounded too human) had been crushed and misshaped by the boulder, and even a thin webbing between its fingers had been torn up. But that wasn't what worried Link, it was farther down on its forearm/wrist. He was sure Zora had fins there, but the one on this Zora's arm was likely ripped off when he freed it from the boulder. What likely happened was it had been pinned down still and the beast ripped it off as it pulled free.

At least the bleeding had stopped, though Link felt bad for leaving it unattended over night and letting the monster suffer. He began to wrap Zora's arm like Impa had shown him. Hopefully it would keep the injury from bleeding again. "I'm sorry this happened," he muttered after he was done.

The Zora made a soft sound, not a growl or roar, but more like a whine. It sounded like it was sorry too. Link stroked its arm, amazed that just like its hand, its arm was smooth too. Ganon had said that Zora had very rough skin.

He stayed with the Zora a little longer, then decided it was probably time go. "Alright, I'll be back tomorrow, buddy," he said as he stood up. Before he got very far, he felt a strong tug on the back of his shirt. He glanced over his shoulder and saw that the Zora had grabbed onto his clothes. It was staring at Link.

"Promise," he said softly. With that word, Link felt his shirt released. He glanced over his shoulder at the beast and wondered how intelligent it really was. 


End file.
